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Branding Yourself - is this a must?

by Teuto Warrior
11 replies
Hi,
I'm new to the IM World but I'm not new to the Internet.
Its just recently that I started to check out IM and make money online opportunities. It doesn't matter which direction I'm checking out and going, sooner or later I always hit a wall: branding Yourself!

I'm using the Internet since 1995 and so far it has always been the norm to use nicknames in everything You do online, be it forums, newsgroups, chat, online games, registrations with services etc. Nobody uses his real name normally.

But in the IM world there is a mantra repeated over and over by marketers and trainers: brand Yourself! Put Your real name and photo on Your blog, web pages and splash pages! And with all these things social and video it gets even more common. Many Online Marketers even have their adress and phone number in their autoresponder emails!

Question 1: Why is this?
Does it make an online product or service any better or more legit if the person promoting it has brown or black hair? In my opinion it should always be about the product, not the person promoting it. I offer a product online and I hope people would like to buy it because its a good quality legit product, not because of my photo on the website!
In the real world its all about the brand and reputation of the product, isn't it? If I decide to buy a Ford, its because I think the car is great, not because of the name and look of the CEO of Ford! If You decide about which corn flakes to buy for breakfast, You do it because of the flavour and quality of the product, not because of the photo and looks of the Kellogs-CEO!

In my opinion there are also valid reasons why people don't want to brand themselves online:

-If You are new and just starting out You might want to check out first what kind of product or service is legit and working, BEFORE attaching Your name to it. If the programme turns out to be a scam or not working, Your name will always associated with it...the Internet never forgets!
-Maybe You want to change niche or product later, so people may get confused if they know You from a different product or service already.
- If You still have a job in the real world You probably don't want that Your boss, co-workers or clients find out that You are trying to make some money online, especially if You are known in Your local community in a completely different profession that has nothing to do with IM. Even if You do everything online in Your spare time only.
-If English is not Your first language native english speakers might be turned off if You do some promotional videos and have a heavy accent or make grammar and spelling errors.

So my question Nr. 2 is:
What niche of Internet Marketing does not require You to "Brand Yourself"?
SEO + affiliate marketing? CPA? CPA+PPC/PPV?

I appreciate Your comments.
#branding
  • Profile picture of the author nm5419
    Branding is an inevitable requirement whether you actively work towards it or not. Without much of your own participation, in fact, customers will brand you based on your product and service quality. So why not try to gain some control over it by directing its course?

    It sounds as though you want to jump into the ring without taking too much responsibility for what happens. People will pick up on that and spread the same perception to others. That's bad branding, and it didn't require a bit of work!
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  • Profile picture of the author Dana Gaus
    Branding yourself is really only necessary if you intend to make a career out of selling information products.

    You can make a lot of money in affiliate marketing without ever needing to worry about building a brand based on your own name.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kal Sallam
    Branding will just make you more money in some cases.like any brand name in this world.people just buy brands.
    It helps build trust and a sense of security.
    You can definitely make a ton of Money online without branding yourself/product.
    All methods/systems to making money online Can be put to work regardless.
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    Well spoken nm5419 -- um........even if that username isn't gonna cut it for ya.

    If you start to produce a lot of products, you are going to be branded whether you do so purposely or not. HOW that branding goes will be determined by how your products and customer service are perceived.

    Your branding takes place every time you make a comment, make a product, endorse a product, etc. People will get to know you by your nickname or your real name, but they will get to know you and will either boost your rep or smash it depending on their impression of you and your work. Word of mouth advertising eventually takes precedence to all other forms. Branding will happen, whether you work at it or not. It's organic and just comes with the territory.
    Signature

    Sal
    When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
    Beyond the Path

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    • Profile picture of the author nm5419
      Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

      Well spoken nm5419 -- um........even if that username isn't gonna cut it for ya.
      LoL - "I ain't worried 'bout it."
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  • Profile picture of the author drmani
    Originally Posted by Arian17 View Post

    But in the IM world there is a mantra repeated over and over by marketers and trainers: brand Yourself!

    Question 1: Why is this?

    So my question Nr. 2 is:
    What niche of Internet Marketing does not require You to "Brand Yourself"?
    SEO + affiliate marketing? CPA? CPA+PPC/PPV?
    You brand SOMETHING when you're selling (or trying to).

    For *most* typical IM'ers, the 'product' is the PERSON(A)
    more than whatever they're creating to sell at the moment.

    Hence the emphasis on 'personal branding'.

    Companies have branded themselves effectively in this
    space e.g. Aweber (not Tom Kulzer), Warrior Forum (not
    Allen Says), Ezine Articles (not Chris Knight) etc.

    It's a choice - which one do you want to brand.

    No brand at all makes you a non-entity, in a sense

    All success
    Dr.Mani
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  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Originally Posted by Arian17 View Post

    But in the IM world there is a mantra repeated over and over by marketers and trainers who are branding themselves: do like me!
    Fixed that for you.

    The people who aren't branding themselves are not going to be very visible, and they are not going to tell you what to do. Their business does not require you to listen to them and do as they say.

    Some of us are branding ourselves, but still recognise that - since we know plenty of six-figure earners on both sides of the branding debate - branding yourself is not a prerequisite to success.

    The people who make the most noise (including me) are largely going to recommend that the Right Thing to do is make a lot of noise. If we didn't believe that, we wouldn't be doing it.

    But your situation may be different. You may have a very good reason why you personally should not make a lot of noise, and I don't need to know about it or understand it.

    You can do anything at all without making a lot of noise. All the same basic methods work if you don't make a lot of noise; they're a little slower, but they do work.
    Signature
    "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
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  • Profile picture of the author KrisOlin
    Id' say branding is a must for you if you are thinking of selling your own products as an expert. For general affiliate products it is not that important.
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    • Profile picture of the author BloggingPro
      Originally Posted by KrisOlin View Post

      Id' say branding is a must for you if you are thinking of selling your own products as an expert. For general affiliate products it is not that important.
      There are plenty of sites that have created a "brand" for themselves in their respective niches and rely on affiliate marketing to pay the hosting bills. I would argue that once you've branded yourself its all the more easier to get your readers to buy things through an affiliate link.
      Signature
      You're going to fail. If you're afraid of failure then you do not belong in the Internet Marketing Business. Period.
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      • Profile picture of the author Teuto Warrior
        Thank You for Your replies!
        Yes, I fully agree that also nicknames build up their reputation and brand over time, like in discussion forums or online-games btw, it hasn't to be a real name.
        In the world of art, literature and journalism the use of pen-names is somewhat normal and accepted also.
        But with internet marketing where real money is involved I also don't know which are the legal requirements.

        I'm not from the USA so my next question is:
        What are the legal requirements to put Your real name, adress and phone number on a website hosted on a USA-based hosting account and using a USA-based autoresponder service? Is it legally ok to use pen-names and protect Your privacy using online services and tools based in the USA/Canada?
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  • Profile picture of the author elizabeththomas
    Branding yourself is very crucial so the visitor on your site would not think you as a generic commodity.
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